Shifting plate-clamp



J. R. BLAINE.

SHIFTING PLATE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, ms.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH R. BLAINE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MIEHLE PRINTINGPRESS AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

SHIFTING PLATE-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thtt I, JOSEPH R. BLAINE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shifting Plate-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to the printing press art and more particularly toa shifting flexible printing plate clamp.

One of the objects of this invention is to facilitate the shifting of aflexible printing plate for properly positioning the same.

Another object is to provide a simple and novel clamp mechanism wherebythe plate may be readily shifted without actually releasing same.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementdisclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which.-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a printing cylinder, equippedwith my plate clamping means; and,

Fig. 2 is a tranverse sectional view taken in the plane of line 22 ofFig. 1.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that I haveshown my invention as applied to a printing member 10, in thisparticular instance being a cylinder printing member, on which ismounted a flexible printing plate 11. This invention has to do primarilywith means for clamping the plate to the cooperating printing member.

Arranged longitudinally of the printing cylinder 10 and in a recessedportion 12 thereof, are a plurality of clamps 18, having upper and lowerclamping members, between which the ends of the plate 11 are held, whenthe clamping screws 14 are tightened. The lower member of each of theseclamps 13 has on its ends guide portions 15, which lie under suitablelongitudinally spaced guide members 16, whereby the clamps 13 may beguided in a transverse movement. The clamps 13 may be shiftedtransversely with respect to the cylinder for tightening or looseningthe plate with respect to the cylinder 10, by set screws 17 which passthrough the lower members of the clamps 13 and the ends of which engagea wall 18 of the recess 12.

hen it is desired to angle or otherwise shift the plate 11, as a whole,the same is done by means of a central or main clamp 19, one at each endof the plate and each including a lower clamping member 20 and an upperclamp member 21 between which the ends of the plate are secured when theclamping screws 22 are drawn tight.

The lower member 20 of this clamp 19 has guide portions at its outerextremities, which cooperate with the guide members 16, permitting apredetermined amount of movement transversely and longitudinally withrespect to the cylinder 10.

The rear portion of the lower clamp member 20 is bifurcated and isprovided with a radially extending pin 23. This pin 23 is provided witha transversely threaded aperture through which extends a threaded member2a, which is anchored to a pivot pin 25 rotatably mounted at 26 in aportion of the printing cylinder 10. Secured to the threaded member 24is a control hand wheel 27 whereby the threaded member may be actuatedto draw the clamp 19 toward or away from the control handwheel 27 fortightening or loosening the plate 11 upon the cylinder 10.

It will be noted that the lower end of the pin 23 extends between spacedarms 28 on a longitudinally movable bracket 29 mounted upon a table 30,formed in the cylinder recess 12. Adjusting screws 31 extend throughears 32 of said bracket 29 and engage the ends of the table 30. If it isdesired to shift the bracket 29 longitudinally with respect to thecylinder 10 the same may be accomplished by loosening one of the adjusting screws 31 and tightening the other. The bracket 29 is slotted at83 and is held in place by shoulder bolts 34:, the set screws 31clamping the bracket 29 in adjusted position. In view of the fact thatthe pins 23 and 25 are free to rotate, the plate 11 may be shifted tothe desired position, either to be parallel or at an angle with respectto the edges of the cylinder 10 without cramping the adjusting screw 24,by means of which the plate 11 is stretched over the cylinder 10.

It will be understood that when the plate 11 is to be shifted, alldevices for holding the plate other than the clampsl herein described,are loosened and when the plate has been shifted to its proper positionby means of the clamps 19, the auxiliary devices may be tightened inaccordance with fat V the i plate.

requirements.

Bymeans of this arrangement the plate may be readily shifted orpositioned transversely, longitudinally and angularly on its cooperatingprinting member.

Theremay bevarious modifications of the invention and it is-my intentionto cover all such modifications which do not involve aotally mountedtherein, a .pivotally mounted anchor pin, and a threaded memberassociated with said pins for adjusting-the positionof'theplate.

2.;A clamp for positioning a flexible printing plate upon its supportingmember,

including av clamp member, a pin pivotally mounted'therein, a pivot-allyanchored pin,

a threaded member associated with said. pins' whereby the plate may bead usted n,

one direction, and means for adjusting the clamp. member in, anotherdirection" for shifting the position ofsaid plate.

A'clamp for positioning a printing'plate upon its supporting anember,includinga clamp member, a pinpivotally mountedtherein, a pivotallyanchored pin, a threaded member associated with said pins whereby theplatemay be'adjusted in one direction, and means associated .with one ofsaid pins for shifting the clamp member in another direction forshifting i. A; clamp for positioning a flexible printing plate upon itssupportingmember,

including a clamp member, a pin pivotally connected thereto an anchored"threaded member extendingthrough said pin whereby the plate may be adustedin one direction, means .operatively engaging said pin for shiftingthe clamp member in another directionfor further shifting the position.

of the plate.

V 5. 'A clamp for positioning a. flexible printing plate upon itssupportingmember,

including a clamp member, a. pin pivotally f V connected thereto, athreaded'membe'r assoe;

. 'lVitnesses g.

ciated with said pin for shifting the position of the plate in a givendirection, a shiftable bracket having arms on opposite sides, of saidpin, and means for shifting said arms for transmitting a furthershifting movement to the plate.

6. In combination, a printing member, a flexible printing plate mountedthereon, a plurality of auxiliary plate clampsrcarried by said member,and a main clamp for said plate whereby the latter may be shifted withrespect to the cylinder, the auxiliary plate clamps being ineffectivewhen the main clamp is being adjusted for shifting the plate.

7. In combination, a printing member, guide members secured thereto,auxiliary plate clamps mounted on said member and having portionscooperating with said guide members whereby the clamps may be moved apredetermined amount'in a given direction, anda main clamp also havingportions in cooperative association with said guide members. v

V. 8. In combination, a printing member, guide. members secured thereto,auxiliary plate clamps inounted' on said printing member and havingportions cooperating with: said guide members whereby the clamps may.be' moved a predetermined amount in a given direction, an associatedmain clamp also having portions in cooperative association with saidguide members, and'mea ns for shifting the main clamp in a plurality ofdifferent directions for positioning the plate on the printing member.9. In combination, a printing member, guide members secured thereto,auxiliary plate clamps 'mounted on said printing member andhavingportions cooperating with said guide members whereby the clamps may bemoved a predetermined amount in a given direction, an associatedmain'clamp also having portions cooperating with said guide members,means for shifting the main clamp in a plurality of differentdirectionsfor positioning the plate on the printing member, and means associatedrwiththe auxiliary clamps for acting upon the plate. p p

. 7 Signedat Chicagmlllinois, this 16th day of May, 1918.

; JosEPrri-i. BLAINE.

, A. G. fFisorinn, AG. JACOBSON.

